The present disclosure relates to a deformation inhibiting device for inhibiting deformation of a fuel tank and also relates to a fuel tank device incorporating the deformation inhibiting device.
JP-A-2016-536193 (also published as US2016/0263990) discloses a known deformation inhibiting device for inhibiting deformation of a fuel tank. The deformation of the fuel tank may be caused, for example, due to a change in temperature, a change in atmospheric pressure, or a change in the internal pressure of the fuel tank caused by a change in the fuel level within the fuel tank. In JP-A-2016-536193, the fuel tank includes a top wall portion and a bottom wall portion. An opening is formed in the top wall portion. A strut member serving as a standoff member is arranged between the top wall portion and the bottom wall portion so as to be coaxially aligned with the opening. The strut member has a cylindrical tubular shape with an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the opening. The fuel tank is formed by molding upper and lower halves (preforms) and joining them together. The strut member is fixedly positioned between the upper and lower halves during the molding process of the upper and lower halves.
In the case of JP-A-2016-536193, it is necessary that the strut member is interposed between the upper half and the lower half of the fuel tank. Therefore, the manufacturing process of the fuel tank is relatively complicated and expensive equipment is necessary for manufacturing the fuel tank, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost.